by Sally Six
Gary walked to the back and said, “you come back here with me Matt, I’ll get what you need and maybe a few other things to go with it.”
“I don’t know what to say Gary, besides thank you, and if you want you cone ahead to my house if things get worse in a day or so, we will be headed out as soon as we can I am thinking.”
Gary gave his thanks for the offer to Matt and said, “Don’t know if I can leave this store Matt. I have worked hard to get where I am but thanks anyway, you take care of yourself and your family.”
He walked Matt back to the front door unlocked it and then locked it behind him, waving goodbye. Matt walked out of the store with a pack on in which was a set of solenoids and a distributor, new wires, spark plugs and a bunch of Sta-bil, along with 2 full gas cans in his hands, good thing it wasn’t far to his van.
Matt made it back to his van with no problems. Besides his arms were getting tired.
Tools were no problem since he was also a mechanic; he had worked at a garage for years after high school and with this old van of his he never went anywhere without tools. He unlocked his toolbox in the back of the 1-ton van and went to work on his van. Not 35 minutes later he sat down in the front seat and turned the key and the old thing roared to life.
“Whew, all right,” said Matt to himself.
Calvin stepped out of the office and waved goodbye to Matt like it was any day at the office. All Matt could do was wave back and feel a tug at his heart, as he knew Calvin wouldn’t make it long in this world now.
Matt made his way around stalled cars and trucks and saw shocked looks on people’s faces, as they saw him drive around their cars. A couple of men tried to wave him down but he just kept going, he had to get home. It was 30 minutes and a couple of gunshots later he was pulling onto his street, he pulled into the driveway, it was 11:00 PM. Matt could see there was candle light in the living room. He thought,“I guess they didn’t get the camping gear out.” His wife Cass came running out of the house, his son Leroy right behind her.
Matt quickly got out of the van and came around to her; she threw herself into his arms,
“Matt there’s no power anywhere, was it a terrorist attack or something?”
“Cass all I know right now is I think we’ve been nuked, that’s what’s wrong with the power, a EMP had to have taken it all out.”
Leroy’s eyes got huge. “Dad an EMP really, who did it.”
“I don’t know Leroy, all I know is we’re in for a world of hurt, my dad and mom were right after all, and we need to find a safer place then here.”
By that time they were headed into the house, “I assume the other kids are asleep,” asked Matt.
“Yes, said Cass, “they conked out about 15 minutes ago, and I was sure glad to, they were driving me crazy.”
“Now Matt, you said we need to find a safer place then our home, but where, and why do you think we need to anyway?”
All Leroy did is listen; this was too important to butt into his parent’s conversation this time, he was feeling a bit on the scared side with all this.
Matt continued, “Well the best I can think of is if we can get to Grand dads up in northern Minnesota, there’s no way we will make it out to Washington to dad and moms.”
Cass looked surprised, “From here Matt, that’s also a long way from here, I don’t see how or really why we need to.”
Matt looked at Cass and thought, how hard was it going to be to get the new facts though to her?
He took her by her shoulders and held her out away from him, looking into her eyes “Cass look at me, you have to understand things are going to get really bad, the power isn’t going to come back on any time soon. Things are going to get really bad, gangs, thieves, and killers are going to have rule for a while, they’re going to go wild getting what they want. Even normal people once they start getting hungry and seeing their kids going hungry are going to turn on anyone to take what food they can find. To give it to you stright people are going to turn into animals. Until a lot of them are dead in a few weeks and months from now.”
Cass just looked at him like she couldn’t fathom such a thing.
“Cass did you hear me?”
She blinked and seemed to get weak in the knees, “I….I need to sit down.”
After a few minutes she looked up at Leroy and told him, “Leroy you need to get to bed and get a good night’s sleep, we will need your help tomorrow.”
Leroy looked at his dad, and his dad nodded at him, “She’s right Leroy, go on we’ll see you in the morning.”
Leroy really wanted to hear what his mom and dad had to say, so he said good night and headed up the stairs, and stopped in the hallway at the top.
“Cass, Cass look at me, said Matt, she looked over at him, and he decided the best thing would be to sit down beside her on the sofa.
So he sat down next to her, “Cass do you understand what I am saying to you?”
“Yes Matt I understand, I just seem to be having a problem getting a handle on it all.” She looked at her husband, “When do you think we should get ready to head out?”
Matt told her, “We need to be out of here by tomorrow night at the latest Cass we really should be packing tonight.”
“So soon, but how can we leave so soon, there so much we need to take.”
“No there isn’t Cass we will take only what will keep us alive, food, water, guns, ammunition, winter clothes, shoes, boots, sleeping bags, camping gear, pots and pans that kind of thing, first aid and medicines, just what we need to keep body and soul together.
“But Matt how about all our things, our furniture?”
“Cass, those things are not going to be very important to us anymore, not if we’re dead or slaves for some gang.”
That shocked her again, “I hadn’t thought of that,” she said.
“Okay Cass, let’s make sure this house is locked up, and I will take first watch.”
“First watch, “Why don’t you just come to bed with me now?”
At that time the sound of a gun shot rang out in the distance, it had to have been just a couple of blocks away.
“I thought we would have at least a little time before things got bad,” she said, and gave Matt a kiss and went on up to bed.
Leroy stepped back into his sister’s doorway, and his mom went past into her room. He stepped back out and his dad was standing on the stairs looking at him, motioning him back down.
“How did you know I was there Dad?”
I figured you were pretty close when you agreed so quickly to go to bed, plus I never heard you walk down the hallway to your room,” his dad said with a smile.
“Leroy I am going to have you take second watch, your mom needs her sleep tonight. I want you to sack out on the sofa here and I will wake you about 3 AM, is that okay with you?”
“Yes dad I guess so, will I have a gun? I haven’t fired a gun before.”
“Don’t worry about it Leroy, you just wake me if someone tries to get in the house, do you hear me, we will cross that bridge when we come to it. I have the feeling after all this is said and done, you are going to be a very good shot.”
Leroy lay down on the sofa and closed his eyes, he didn’t really think he could get to sleep at all, but a few minutes later he was sound asleep.
Matt looked out of the windows after Leroy laid down; he ran down to the basement and brought up some of the camping equipment. The least he could do is give them a head start on getting things together, after all the camping supplies were brought up and his cases of MRE’s he looked around out the windows and then he started to tackle the kitchen. The rest of the night went quickly for Matt.
Matt woke Leroy and worked another hour in the kitchen with gathering other things and then lay down for a couple hours of sleep. He hoped he didn’t live to regret not leaving tonight or rather in the wee hours of the morning.
Chapter 3
Preparing After
Mountain Home, Idaho, same day:
Beulah looked up at the clock. It was about time to go home. She began to gather her things. The book for break stayed. She picked up the lunch box, picked up her jacket and purse and headed for the car and home.
As she walked out of the office, she noticed clouds coming in. Fall was here for sure. After a 20-minute drive, she pulled into her driveway. She looked at the house. It was still dark. Brian would still be at football practice, but Lee should have been home. “Oh well,” she thought and pulled into the garage. She best get dinner going so she made her way into the house from the garage door to the hallway of the house. She flipped the light switch on and went to the bedroom to change her clothes. Ah man nice, it was a relief to out of her suit, the sweat pants and a t-shirt felt good and comfortable after a long day’s work at the office.
The clock read 5:10 PM. Beulah wondered where Lee was. He got off at 3:30 PM and should have been home a half hour ago.
She went into the kitchen and pulled out some spaghetti noodles and a large can of spaghetti sauce. Some green beans, garlic bread and a salad should finish off the meal.
With the water boiling for the noodles and the sauce heating, she went over to turn on the TV on the counter to catch the news as she worked. She threw a load of towels in the washer and went to collect Brian’s clothes hamper that was full and smelly as always. When she returned, the water was boiling. She threw in the noodles and got the garlic bread ready to slip in the oven as soon as one of the guys walked in the door.
The news caught her attention with a special report. “This is Fox News with a special alert, nuclear missiles incoming.” “WHAT,” she thought. She went and turned up the sound. She heard: “The Pentagon reports that we have nuclear missiles in bound for the United States. Please take shelter immediately. Repeat, please take shelter immediately.”
The noodles started to boil over and she ran over to the stove. She was just taking off the noodle pan off the stove when the lights went off. “Oh no,” she thought. Beulah grabbed her flashlight from the kitchen drawer. She went to the basement stairs and down to check the breaker box. Everything looked fine, but she decided to flip them anyway. She had been hoping that’s all it was, but nothing happened. Not a light came back on. Beulah made her way back up the stairs and went to get some matches out of her kitchen drawer. Lee hated that drawer. He called it her catchall junk drawer. Dinner will be ruined is what ran through her mind. Lee will be so mad. Then the flashlight quit working as in dead batteries.
She always kept decorator scented candles here and there in the house. She had bayberry here in the kitchen. She lit two candles and picked one up and went into the living room. She lit three vanilla candles in there. “It’s really happened,” she thought. “Now what do I do. I better go pick up Brian.” She ran to the bedroom for her car keys and purse.
She got into the car and tried to start the car. It wouldn’t start. She thought the car had a dead battery like the flashlight. “Why now?” She went back into the house.
A half hour later, Brian came running into the house. “MOM, MOM,” he was yelling at the top of his lungs.
Beulah came out of the kitchen and into the living room. “Here I am Brian, in here.”
“Mom what’s happened? No one could get their cars started. I was going to grab a ride home with Tom, but his car wouldn’t start either. We just walked home together. As we walked, we noticed none of the lights were on anywhere in town. Man talk about dark and freaky.”
Beulah turned to her son. “Sit down Brian. I’ll tell you what I heard before the lights went out.”
Brian sat on the sofa and Beulah explained what the news was reporting just before the lights went out and the cars stopped working.
“No way!” Brian said.
“Yes Brian, it’s happened. I thought at first it was the breakers and that the car battery had gone dead. Since you said the other cars wouldn’t start either, I guess whatever it was made that happen too.”
“It’s an EMP Mom. Electro Magnetic Pulse from the bombs. That made it so nothing electric will work. We read about it in school.” Brian said.
“Where’s Dad? I thought he would be here way before I got home.”
“I don’t know Brian. I thought he would be home when I got here. I have no idea what kept him from getting home.”
She really was worried, but didn’t want Brian to know that.
“How many days’ worth of food do we have Mom.”
“Food?” Beulah said. “Why would you want to know that Brian?”
Brian looked at his mom in surprise and said. “Mom we will need food and water. The grocery stores with no electricity won’t take credit cards. We will need cash. Right now we need to know how much food and cash we have on hand. We need to determine how long we can go without trying to find more.”
Beulah looked at Brian surprised. “I hadn’t even thought of that. Water, I have a case of bottled water in the basement.”
“Okay Mom. Let’s go into the kitchen and see what we have. Start to fill empty pop bottles and things with more water.”
They got up to go into the kitchen and Brian turned to his mom and said. “Before I forget, where does Dad keep his gun?”
“We don’t need a gun Brian. Someone may get hurt. You have spent too much time with your grandmother and grandfather, I see.”
Brian stopped dead in his tracks. “Mom, we are the ones who will get hurt if someone comes for what we have if we can’t protect ourselves.”
Beulah got a shocked look on her face. “This is just too much. This isn’t supposed to happen.” She began to sob.
“Mom it’s fine. Grandpa taught me a few things. Now let’s get to seeing what we have.”
They started going through the cupboards and Brian started to pull out all the edible canned goods and boxed foods. He had been hungry after football practice, but now that was the last thing on his mind.
“Brian what are you doing? You’re making a mess,” exclaimed his mom.
“Mom, we have to get all this together and see how many days we can make this into ahead of time. I also think we need to box it up and take it to the basement. If someone does break in here, they can’t find our food right off.”
“Okay, okay Brian, I understand. I think? I don’t like it, but I understand.”
Brian got up and headed for the basement. “Mom,” he said as he headed down. “Get those empty pop bottles out of the trash can in the garage and fill them up.”
“Gross Brian.” She said back at him.
Brian’s head popped back up from behind the basement door. “Mom there’s nothing gross about it. They just had pop in them. Just rinse them out first. Then fill them with water. We may need all we can get before the water stops running.”
There must have been a dozen large plastic pop bottles. They had a get together for Lee’s brother over the weekend and trash day wasn’t for another two days. Beulah opened both trashcans and began to take out the pop bottles. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would be doing things like this. She thought making due and having to do things she didn’t want to was all over with when she left home for school. It took her a couple of trips to bring in all the bottles. After the first trip, she brought a plastic garbage bag with her to get the rest of them. It turned out they had 15 bottles. She got busy rinsing them and filling them with water. She saw that Brian had brought 3 medium sized boxes up and wasn’t in the kitchen any longer. Beulah heard him coming up the basement stairs a few minutes later bumping the walls with
more boxes.
“Let’s fill these Mom. Then I will know if I need to put more boxes together. Okay?”
“Okay Brian,” she said. “You go ahead with that while I continue to fill these bottles.”
They both kept busy with their separate jobs until Beulah finished filling the bottles. She then helped Brian put the canned goods and other foods into the boxes.
Brian started to haul them down to the basement. “Mom put the bottles of water in those other two boxes for now. While I am carrying them down to the basement, fill some of your big pots with water too.”
He then headed down to the basement with another load. While he was in the basement. He thought about the camping gear and went over to the corner where it was kept.
“Oh yes,” he thought and pulled out four of those collapsible five-gallon water jugs.
He thought the jugs should have been around from the last time he and his dad went camping and had a couple of his friends along. He got another idea and went through one of the backpacks. Yes, there was a whole backpack full of dried meals and desserts.
They had ended up catching a lot fish and not using up all the freeze dried foods because of all the fish. He figured that he would just keep this to himself for the time being. His mom would turn her nose up at it anyway right now.
Brian headed back up the stairs and his mom was just finishing the last box. “That makes three weeks’ worth of meals Mom as far as I can figure. That’s for all three of us.”
“Well that should be good enough. They’re sure to have the power back on by then.” Beulah said.
“Mom it isn’t as simple as turning the power back on. All the equipment would have to be replaced everywhere the EMP affected it. It’s going to be months before some places will have power again.”
“I just can’t believe it will be months Brian. If that’s the case, there’s no way we have enough food to get us by.”
“That’s what I was trying to tell you Mom. We’re in deep crap.” He went on to say.
“We can cook our food with the camp stove. I saw we have two cans of Coleman fuel for it. So that will be okay for a month or so. I also found the sleeping bags and a few other camping things that will come in handy.”